Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., in office for a little over two years, has been given the chairmanship of a new Judiciary Committee panel apparently created just for him.

Blumenthal will chair the Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights and Agency Action, says Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

The new panel is authorized to investigate possible wrongdoing in the federal government and root out waste.

“The purpose of this new subcommittee is really to ensure that federal agencies follow and enforce the law — assuring protection of legal rights with effective remedies. Overseeing federal agency rulemaking means working with advocates, activists, and every-day Americans to fulfill the promise of federal protection,” Blumenthal said in a statement.

The new job will allow Blumenthal, a former Connecticut attorney general, to practice his prosecutorial skills and convene hearings.

The question is: How willing is the loyal Democrat to investigate the Obama administration?

Ana has written about politics and policy in Washington, D.C.. for Gannett, Thompson Reuters and UPI. She was a special correspondent for the Miami Herald, and a regular contributor to The New York TImes, Advertising Age and several other publications. She has also worked in broadcast journalism, for CNN and several local NPR stations. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Journalism.

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